Sports-training ball assembly

ABSTRACT

A sports-training ball assembly including a ball having an outer surface. The ball is a manually operated sports ball. The assembly includes an elastic cover coupled about the ball, wherein the elastic cover has a resting volume smaller than the volume of the outer surface of the ball such that the elastic cover is tightly coupled thereto. The cover completely encloses the ball. The cover includes an outer surface having a coefficient of friction smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the ball such that the cover is slick compared to the ball. The elastic cover includes an elastic aperture therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball therethrough so that the ball may be removed from and installed within the cover. The elastic cover includes elastane fibers. The cover consists of a single layer of fabric.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This invention claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. §120, to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/921,553 to Darnell Jones filed on Dec. 30, 2013, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to training devices, specifically a sports-training ball assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

The prior art generally teaches two types of aids for basketball training. The first basketball training aid are gloves. One example of basketball training gloves is U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,901 to Russotti, which discloses a basketball training aid. The second basketball training aid are special basketballs. Two examples of special basketballs are U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,685 to Hynes, which discloses a game ball, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,015 to Sowders, which discloses a basketball shooting aid.

Practice is the act of rehearsing a behavior over and over, or engaging in an activity again and again, for the purpose of improving or mastering it, as in the phrase “practice makes perfect”. Sports teams practice to prepare for actual games. Playing a musical instrument well takes a lot of practice. It is a method of learning and of acquiring experience.

Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples of references related to the present invention are described below in their own words, and the supporting teachings of each reference are incorporated by reference herein:

U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,901, issued to Russotti, discloses a basketball training aid designed to teach a user how to correctly grip, set up, and release a basketball. The device includes a material that wraps around the top (prone side) of the hand and bottom half of the underside (supine side) of the hand, without limiting wrist extension and flexion during a basketball shot. The glove includes a splint support material on top of the index, middle, and ring fingers, running from the middle of the digits to the bottom half of the top (prone side) of hand. The splint support material prevents premature finger flexion at the base of the fingers during the release of the shot, ensuring an open hand at follow through. Additionally, the design encourages proper finger separation and proper extension of wrist joint on set up, keeps the ball off the palm of the hand, and promotes proper position for dribbling a basketball effectively.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,685, issued to Hynes, discloses a game ball, such as a basketball, which includes a pair of raised or indented substantially circular polar seams disposed around each pole of the game ball and a plurality of raised or indented substantially circular seams disposed about the equatorial circumference of the game ball and further being tangentially connected to both substantially circular polar seams. An athlete is able to grip the seams with up to five fingers to facilitate gripping and controlling the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,015, issued to Sowders, discloses a basketball shooting aid having visually distinctive designs, configurations and colors for the purpose of sending immediate visual feedback to the athlete, informing the athlete whether the proper technique was employed in the athlete's grip of the basketball, the athlete's release of the shot and the arc and rotation of the basketball during flight. An equatorial track is disposed between a first and second lines defining a first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical half, and the equatorial track further including alternating color members displayed thereon. The basketball shooting aid including a first patch displayed within the first hemispherical half abutting the first line, and a second patch displayed within the second hemispherical half abutting the second line, wherein the first patch and the second patch are on the same axis. For proper gripping of the basketball shooting aid, a first and second outlined hand are displayed.

The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include being difficult to use, being expensive, being cumbersome, being unrealistic/impractical, being loose fitting, being limited in use, being limited in application, including surface textures/irregularities that get in the way of operation of a ball, being too complicated, and/or failing to improve ball grip/control during use.

What is needed is a sports-training ball assembly that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available sports-training ball assembly. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a sports-training ball assembly.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a sports-training ball assembly that may include a ball that may have an outer surface. The ball may be a manually operated sports ball that may be selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs.

The assembly may include an elastic cover that may be coupled about the ball, wherein the elastic cover may have a resting volume that may be smaller than the volume of the outer surface of the ball such that the elastic cover may be tightly coupled thereto. The cover may completely enclose the ball. The cover includes an outer surface that may have a coefficient of friction that may be smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the ball such that the cover may be slick compared to the ball.

The elastic cover may include an elastic aperture therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball therethrough so that the ball may be removed from and installed within the cover. The elastic cover may include an inner surface that may have a higher coefficient of friction as compared to an outer surface of the cover such that the cover may be slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface of the ball. The elastic cover may include elastane fibers. The cover may consist of a single layer of fabric. The cover may include a slit. The cover may include three planes of fabric coupled to each other about their perimeters.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a training cover for sports balls that may include an elastic shell that may have a slit therethrough, wherein an outer surface of the shell may be slick as compared to rubber and leather used in sports balls. The cover may include a slit through the elastic shell. The shell may include an inner surface that may have a coefficient of friction that may be higher than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the shell.

The elastic shell may be shaped to form a tight fit against a sports ball selected from the group of sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, soccer balls, and tetherballs. The elastic shell may include three interlocking planes of material that may be coupled to each other about their respective perimeters. The elastic shell may include woven elastane fibers. The three interlocking planes may be circular shaped-shaped. The three interlocking planes may be coupled together by at least one of the following coupling structures selected from the group of coupling structures consisting of: stitching, ultrasonic welds, and heat bonds. The elastic shell may include two round planes of material and one rectangular plan of material.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a sports-training ball assembly that may include a ball that may have an outer surface, the ball may be a manually operated sports ball selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs. The assembly may include an elastic cover that may be coupled about the ball and may completely enclose the ball, the elastic cover may be a single layer of woven elastane fibers.

The elastics cover may include an outer surface that may have a coefficient of friction that may be smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the ball such that the cover may be slick compared to the ball. The elastics cover may include an elastic aperture therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball therethrough so that the ball may be removed from and installed within the wrap. The elastics cover may include an inner surface that may have a higher coefficient of friction as compared to an outer surface of the cover such that the cover may be slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface of the ball. The elastic cover may have a resting volume that may be smaller than the volume of the outer surface of the ball such that the elastic cover may be tightly coupled thereto.

Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawing(s). It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are mere schematics representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. Understanding that these drawing(s) depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not, therefore, to be considered to be limiting its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing(s), in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of unconnected panels of an elastic cover of a sports-training ball assembly for a spherical ball, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of unconnected panels of an elastic cover of a sports-training ball assembly for an oblong-shaped ball, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of unconnected panels of an elastic cover of a sports-training ball assembly for a spherical ball, according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing(s), and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.

Reference throughout this specification to an “embodiment,” an “example” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, or combinations thereof described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases an “embodiment,” an “example,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, to different embodiments, or to one or more of the figures. Additionally, reference to the wording “embodiment,” “example” or the like, for two or more features, elements, etc. does not mean that the features are necessarily related, dissimilar, the same, etc.

Each statement of an embodiment, or example, is to be considered independent of any other statement of an embodiment despite any use of similar or identical language characterizing each embodiment. Therefore, where one embodiment is identified as “another embodiment,” the identified embodiment is independent of any other embodiments characterized by the language “another embodiment.” The features, functions, and the like described herein are considered to be able to be combined in whole or in part one with another as the claims and/or art may direct, either directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly.

As used herein, “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “is,” “are,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising” is to be interpreted as including the more restrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.”

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of unconnected panels of an elastic cover of a sports-training ball assembly for a spherical ball, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown three unconnected panels 28 of an elastic cover 16 for a sports ball wherein each of the panels 28 includes an outer surface. The illustrated panels 28 include two circular panels and a rectangular panel (not to scale). The configuration of their connection to each other to form a hollow body suitable for insertion of a spherical ball may be seen in FIGS. 3-5.

The illustrated elastic cover 16 includes a rectangular piece of fabric and two circular pieces of fabric, coupled together to form the elastic cover 16 for a basketball or any other circular sports ball. The elastic cover 16 includes a resting volume that is smaller than the volume of an outer surface of a ball such that the elastic cover 16 is tightly coupled thereto. The ball may be a manually operated sports ball that may be selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs. Manually operated sports balls are those balls that are manipulated directly with the hand (including through a glove) as opposed to sports balls that are manipulated using sticks, hammers, etc. as in hockey, polo, etc.

The elastic cover 16 includes an outer surface 18 having a coefficient of friction that is smaller than a coefficient of friction of an outer surface of the ball such that the cover 16 is slick compared to the ball; thereby providing difficulty gripping the ball during training or practice. Generally, manually operated sports balls are of a material that has good gripping characteristics (e.g. rubber, leather) and may also include bumps, ridges, stitching or other surface textures that further improve the grip (i.e. increase the coefficient of friction). Accordingly, the elastic over may be of a material that has a lower coefficient of friction than such materials (e.g. rubber, leather), may be void of surface textures that enhance grip, and/or may reduce the effectiveness of such surface textures by providing a smoother outer surface when coupled thereabout as the cover does not strictly adhere to the valleys of the surface texture due to the elastic nature thereof.

The illustrated cover 16 consists of a single layer of fabric. The cover 16 includes three planes of fabric 28 coupled to each other about their perimeters. The illustrated cover 16 includes a slit 26 disposed through one of the planes of fabric 28. As illustrated, the slit 26 is disposed through a circular piece of fabric, but may be disposed through the illustrated rectangular piece of fabric. The slit is shaped and sized to permit entry and exit of the ball to be disposed therein through the slit when desired but not so large as to allow the ball to exit spontaneously during use. Accordingly, the slit may extend along a narrow arc that is smaller than about 150, 120, 90, 80, 60, 45, and/or 30 degrees.

The illustrated three planes of fabric 28 couple together to form the elastic cover 16 over a circular sports ball, such as but not limited to a basketball. The illustrated elastic cover 16 includes two round planes of material and one rectangular plane of material, wherein the rectangular plane material is disposed between the two round plane materials to form a spherically hollow configuration. The ball is then disposed through the slit in the cover (the slit stretching during the same) until the ball is wholly enclosed thereby and the outer surface of the ball is wholly covered by the cover. The ball may then be used by a player to practice and as such the ball will be more difficult to grip and/or manipulate than an ordinary ball would be, but does not include any protrusions (e.g. if a plastic grocery bag were wrapped about the ball and knotted to keep the same enclosed) and is easily reversible when it is desired to play with the ball without modified grip characteristics.

It is beneficial that the cover be tight against the ball so that there are not regions of slack where the cover will slip in its contact with the ball. It is beneficial that the ball still feel like a single unitary structure, just with a selectably removable change in the frictional characteristics of its surface. A material that has been found to be advantageous in such covers is a blend of lycra/elastane with other fibers (e.g. polyester, nylon, cotton). Such materials are slick and have high elasticity. They conform well to outer surfaces of balls while smoothing surface irregularities/textures of the same. Because they are highly elastic, the slit may be small and still allow the ball to pass therethrough under force, but not allow the ball to exit spontaneously. The panels may connect at the edges and/or may overlap.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of unconnected panels of an elastic cover of a sports-training ball assembly for an oblong-shaped ball, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown three unconnected panels 28 of an elastic cover 16 for a sports ball wherein each of the panels 28 includes an outer surface. The illustrated panels 28 include one oval panel and two partial oval panels that together form an oval. The configuration of their connection to each other to form a hollow body suitable for insertion of a spherical ball may be seen in FIGS. 6-7.

The illustrated elastic cover 16 includes three pieces of fabric 28 to couple together to form the elastic cover 16. The pieces of fabric 28 includes a pair of oval shaped planes of fabric, wherein one of the oval shaped planes of fabric is split in two. The split may be used as an elastic aperture to insert and remove a ball from the elastic cover 16. The elastic cover 16 couples about a ball, wherein the elastic cover 16 includes a resting volume that is smaller than the volume of an outer surface of a ball (an inflated or otherwise ready for play ball) such that the elastic cover 16 is tightly coupled thereto. The resting volume of the cover is the maximum volume that the cover can enclose without stretching the fibers thereof. The cover 16 is configured to completely enclose the ball during training or practice to make it more difficult to handle and control the ball, thereby increasing the skill necessary for a user to manipulate and control the ball during a game. The cover 16 includes an outer surface that has a coefficient of friction that is smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the ball such that the cover 16 is slick compared to the ball.

The elastic cover 16 includes an elastic aperture therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball therethrough so that the ball may be removed from and installed within the cover 16. The elastic aperture is disposed about a seam of the elastic cover 16, thereby allowing the sports ball to move and react without restriction from the elastic cover disposed there around during training.

The illustrated elastic cover 16 shows an inner surface 22 having a higher coefficient of friction as compared to an outer surface of the cover 16 such that the cover 16 is slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface of the ball. The elastic cover 16 includes elastane fibers. The cover 16 consists of a single layer of fabric. The cover 16 includes three planes of fabric 28 coupled to each other about their perimeters. The illustrated planes of fabric 28 includes a pair of oval shaped planes coupled together to form the elastic cover 16 for a football. One of the oval shaped planes of material includes two pieces to form the oval shape, thereby providing a slit or aperture for the sports ball to be inserted or removed from the elastic cover 16. The three planes of fabric 28 couple together about their respective ends to form a tightly fitting elastic cover 16.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown an elastic cover 16 disposed about a ball.

The illustrated elastic cover 16 includes a pair of circular planes of fabric and a rectangular plane of fabric 28 coupled together to form the tight fitting elastic cover 16. The elastic cover 16 is coupled about a ball, wherein the elastic cover 16 has a resting volume that is smaller than the volume of the outer surface of a ball such that the elastic cover 16 is tightly coupled thereto. The ball may be a manually operated sports ball that may be selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs.

The illustrated cover 16 completely encloses the ball and does not change the shape or movement of the ball during training. The cover 16 includes an outer surface 18 that has a coefficient of friction that is smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the ball such that the cover may be slick compared to the ball.

Friction is commonly measured by using a “coefficient of friction” which is a ratio of two masses (or forces) and therefore without units. The ratio is dead weight (or normal force) of an object and the break-away mass (or force) at which the object will begin to move across a surface. Studies on coefficient of friction have shown that soapy hands produced the lowest mean coefficients (0.46+/−0.04), significantly less then dry (1.72+/−0.16, p<0.001) and wet hands (1.42+/−0.16, p<0.001). The use of a functional test that incorporates an indirect determination of normal handgrip force has provided a quantitative method of observing stability at the hand/handle interface. The outer surface 18 may include a material that has a lower coefficient of friction than that of dry hands, wet hands, and/or about the coefficient of friction of soapy/wet hands. Materials which may be used include but are not limited to smooth woven plastics (e.g. nylon), tufted fabrics (e.g. velvet), smooth planar plastics, chiffon, silk, woven microfiber, satin, Teflon coated fabrics, and the like and combinations thereof. In one non-limiting embodiment, there is an outer surface on an elastic cover having a coefficient of friction that is less than 1.5, 1.4, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, and/or 0.1.

The elastic cover 16 includes an elastic aperture 20 therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball therethrough so that the ball may be removed from and installed within the cover 16. The elastic cover 16 includes an inner surface that has a higher coefficient of friction as compared to the outer surface 18 of the cover 16 such that the cover 16 is slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface of the ball. The elastic cover 16 includes elastane fibers. The cover 16 consists of a single layer of fabric.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a sports-training ball assembly 10 including a ball 12 and an elastic cover 16.

The illustrated sports-training ball assembly 10 includes a ball 12 having an outer surface 14, wherein the outer surface 14 of the ball 12 generally includes a gripping surface to better control and manipulate the ball during use. The ball 12 may be a manually operated sports ball that may be selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs. As illustrated, the ball 12 is a basketball.

The assembly 10 includes an elastic cover 16 coupled about the ball 12, wherein the elastic cover 16 has a resting volume that is smaller than the volume of the outer surface 14 of the ball 12 such that the elastic cover 16 is tightly coupled thereto. The illustrated cover 16 completely encloses the ball 12 and does not impede the movement or nature of the ball 12. The cover 16 includes an outer surface 18 having a coefficient of friction that is smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface 14 of the ball 12 such that the cover 16 is slick compared to the ball 12; thereby making the ball more difficult to handle and control during training or practice and furthermore improving a user's skill in controlling and manipulating the ball during a game.

The elastic cover 16 includes an elastic aperture 20 therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball 12 therethrough so that the ball 12 may be removed from and installed within the cover 16. The elastic aperture 20 is configured to enable a ball to barely pass therethrough to enter the elastic cover 16, thereby creating a tightly fitting therebetween. The elastic cover 16 includes an inner surface that has a higher coefficient of friction as compared to the outer surface 18 of the cover 16 such that the cover 16 is slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface 14 of the ball 12. The illustrated cover includes three planes of fabric coupled to each other about their perimeters.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown an elastic cover 16 including an elastic shell 30 having an outer surface 18 disposed about a football.

The illustrated elastic cover 16 is for sports balls that includes an elastic shell 30 having a slit 26 therethrough, wherein an outer surface 18 of the shell 30 is slick as compared to rubber and leather used in sports balls. The shell 30 includes an inner surface that has a coefficient of friction that is higher than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface 18 of the shell 30.

The elastic shell 30 is shaped to form a tight fit against a sports ball selected from the group of sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, soccer balls, and tetherballs. The elastic shell 30 includes two interlocking planes of material coupled to each other about their respective perimeters. The elastic shell 30 includes woven elastane fibers. The two interlocking planes may be oval shaped. The two interlocking planes are coupled together by at least one of the following coupling structures selected from the group of coupling structures consisting of: stitching, ultrasonic welds, and heat bonds.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sports-training ball assembly having panels similar to those illustrated in FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a sports-training ball assembly 10 including an elastic cover 16 disposed about a ball 12.

The illustrated sport-training ball assembly 10 including a ball 12 having an outer surface 14, the ball 12 is a manually operated sports ball selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs. The assembly 10 includes an elastic cover 16 coupled about the ball 12 and completely encloses the ball 12, the elastic cover 16 is a single layer of woven elastane fibers.

The elastics cover 16 includes an outer surface 18 having a coefficient of friction that is smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface 14 of the ball 12 such that the cover 16 is slick compared to the ball 12. The elastic cover 16 includes an elastic aperture 20 therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball 12 therethrough so that the ball 12 may be removed from and installed within the cover 16. The illustrated elastic aperture 20 is a slit for the ball to be inserted and removed from the cover 16. The elastic cover 16 includes an inner surface having a higher coefficient of friction as compared to the outer surface 18 of the cover 16 such that the cover 16 is slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface 14 of the ball 12. The elastic cover 16 has a resting volume that is smaller than the volume of the outer surface 14 of the ball 12 such that the elastic cover 16 is tightly coupled thereto.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of unconnected panels of an elastic cover of a sports-training ball assembly for a spherical ball, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown an elastic cover 16 including two planes of fabric 28.

The illustrated elastic cover 16 includes two interlocking planes that are 8-shaped. The two interlocking 8-shaped planes coupled to each other around a perimeter thereof, and thereby form the circular elastic cover 16 to tightly fit about a basketball. The two interlocking planes 28 are coupled together by at least one of the following coupling structures selected from the group of coupling structures consisting of: stitching, ultrasonic welds, and heat bonds. The elastic cover 16 includes a resting volume that is smaller than the volume of an outer surface of a ball such that the elastic cover 16 is tightly coupled thereto. The cover may completely enclose the ball. The ball may be a manually operated sports ball that may be selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs.

The elastic cover 16 includes an outer surface 18 having a coefficient of friction that is smaller than a coefficient of friction of an outer surface of a ball such that the cover 16 is slick compared to the ball. The elastic cover 16 includes an elastic aperture 20 therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball therethrough so that the ball may be removed from and installed within the cover. The elastic cover 16 includes an inner surface that has a higher coefficient of friction as compared to the outer surface 18 of the cover 16 such that the cover 16 is slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface of the ball. As a non-limiting example of the same, the cover may include two layers, an outer layer of a lycra blend coupled to an inner layer of rubber or rubber texturing coupled thereto and extending inwardly therefrom such that when the ball is disposed therein, the inner layer grips the ball strongly while the outer layer is slick to the touch. This reduces the change that the cover will slip across the surface of the ball during practice while still keeping the low-friction characteristics that are beneficial for practice. The elastic cover 16 includes elastane fibers. The cover 16 consists of a single layer of fabric.

There may be a method of improving skill in operating a manually operated sports ball that includes coupling a cover as described herein about a manually operated sports ball and practicing with the same (manually operating it, e.g. throwing, catching, dribbling, passing, running with). The method may include removing the cover and playing with the ball without the cover after practicing with the cover.

It is understood that the above-described embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

For example, although the figures illustrate specific panel shapes and ball shapes, it is understood that the panel patterns and ball shapes are plethoric.

Finally, it is envisioned that the components of the device may be constructed of a variety of materials, including but not limited to natural and/or man-made fibers, non-woven planar materials, multi-layered materials and the like and combinations thereof.

Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims. Further, it is contemplated that an embodiment may be limited to consist of or to consist essentially of one or more of the features, functions, structures, methods described herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sports-training ball assembly, comprising: a. a ball having an outer surface; and b. an elastic cover coupled about the ball, wherein the elastic cover has a resting volume that is smaller than the volume of the outer surface of the ball such that the elastic cover is tightly coupled thereto.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the cover has a coefficient of friction that is smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the ball such that the cover is slick compared to the ball.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover completely encloses the ball.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball is a manually operated sports ball selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the elastic cover includes an elastic aperture therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball therethrough so that the ball may be removed from and installed within the wrap.
 6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the elastic cover includes an inner surface having a higher coefficient of friction as compared to an outer surface of the cover such that the cover is slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface of the ball.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the elastic cover includes elastane fibers.
 8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover consists of a single layer of fabric.
 9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a slit.
 10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover includes two planes of fabric coupled to each other about their perimeters.
 11. A training cover for sports balls, comprising an elastic shell having a slit therethrough, wherein an outer surface of the shell is slick as compared to rubber and leather used in sports balls.
 12. The cover of claim 11, further comprising a slit through the elastic shell.
 13. The cover of claim 12, wherein an inner surface of the shell has a coefficient of friction that is higher than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the shell.
 14. The cover of claim 13, wherein the elastic shell is shaped to form a tight fit against a sports ball selected from the group of sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, soccer balls, and tetherballs.
 15. The cover of claim 14, wherein the elastic shell includes two interlocking planes of material that are coupled to each other about their respective perimeters.
 16. The cover of claim 15, wherein the elastic shell includes woven elastane fibers.
 17. The cover of claim 16, wherein the two interlocking planes are 8-shaped.
 18. The cover of claim 17, wherein the two interlocking planes are coupled together by at least one of the following coupling structures selected from the group of coupling structures consisting of: stitching, ultrasonic welds, and heat bonds.
 19. The cover of claim 13, wherein the elastic shell includes two round planes of material and one rectangular plan of material.
 20. A sports-training ball assembly, comprising: a. a ball having an outer surface, the ball being a manually operated sports ball selected from the group of manually operated sports balls consisting of: footballs, basketballs, baseballs, handballs, volleyballs, dodgeballs, rugby balls, and tetherballs; and b. an elastic cover coupled about the ball and completely enclosing the ball, the elastic cover being a single layer of woven elastane fibers and including: i. an outer surface of the cover that has a coefficient of friction that is smaller than a coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the ball such that the cover is slick compared to the ball; ii. an elastic aperture therethrough sized to permit entry and exit of the ball therethrough so that the ball may be removed from and installed within the wrap; iii. an inner surface having a higher coefficient of friction as compared to an outer surface of the cover such that the cover is slick to hold but grips tightly to the outer surface of the ball; iv. wherein the elastic cover has a resting volume that is smaller than the volume of the outer surface of the ball such that the elastic cover is tightly coupled thereto. 